Error Connecting to Printer When Logged on to a Domain (149913)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server
This article was previously published under Q149913

SUMMARY

When you are logged on to a domain and you attempt to connect to a shared printer on the network, the following error message may occur:
You do not have sufficient access to your machine to connect to the selected printer, since a driver needs to be installed locally.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem only occurs when you attempt to connect to a printer being serviced by a computer with a different operating system, or when the client and server use different versions of Windows. For example, a Windows NT 3.1 client computer connecting to a Windows NT 3.5x print server, or a Windows NT client connecting to a NetWare print server, will both result in this error. When logged into the domain, by default the domain user does not have administration privileges on the local computer; administration privileges are necessary in order to add a printer when the network print server does not have a suitable driver for the client to download and use.

Perform the following steps to give the domain user administrative privileges on his or her local computer when logged on to the domain:
  1. Go to the administrator's local group in User Manager (not for domains) on the computer that is receiving the error message.
  2. Click Add, and then make sure the domain name is listed under "List Names From".
  3. Click the user from the list, click Add, and then click OK.
The computer that is sharing the printer must also give the user permission to use this resource (for example, by adding this user to its local domain users group).
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2003
Keywords:kbnetwork KB149913
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